Connecting-rod and piston aligning tool



July 13 1926.

H. AMGBIMN CONNECTING HOD AND PISTON vALIGNING TOOL Filedllay '7; 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 e Huy/7 @513 @Hm 11ML July 13, 1926. l y 1,592,118

A H. McBAlN CONNECTING ROD 'AND PISTON ALIGNING TOOL Filed May 7 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 13,1926. 1,592,118

H. MCBAlN CONNECTING ROD AND PISTON ALIGNIN TOOL Filed May '7, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 w am Patented July 13, l.

I'IUGII MCBAIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MSSOUR.

CONNECTING-ROB AND PISTON ALGNING TOOL.

Application inea nay 7,'

This invention relates to connecting-rodand-piston-aligning tools and has for its ob* ject .to provide a simple, compact, and readily adjustabletool for testing the parallelism of connecting-rod bearings and their perpendicularity tothe piston.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specication, in which like numf bers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, K

Figure 1 is a planview of the complete device;

Figure 2-is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken through the supporting rod, of a modified form of bracket for supportingan alternate form of indicator; Y

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure r2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the coinplete device;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the type of indicator and bracket shown in Figures 1, 4, .and 7, a transverse section of the bracket and a portion of the indicator being taken on the lines 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged'rear view of the indicator and bracket illustrated in Figures l, 4, and 7; and

Figure 7 is an end view of the complete device.V

Referring to the drawings, a rectangular block l has opposing sides 2 and 3 provided withcentrally disposed bosses 4 and 5 respectively. Lugs 6 projectperpendicularly from the side 2 at its lower corners, and lugs 7 extend diagonally outward from the side 3 at its lower corners. The lugs 6 and 7 are provided withl vertical holes 8 for the reception of screws by means of which they may be secured toa table or bench. A hole ymay be bored centrally through block 1 and bosses 4 and 5 for the reception of a mandrel 9, or, preferably, mandrel 9 may be cast integral with bosses 4 and 5 and turned true in a lathe. |The top surface 10 of block 1 is provided with a rectangular groove or slot 11, lparallel to mandrel 9 and having its center line in the vertical plane which passes 12 and 13 are arranged in the top 10 par- Y allel Ato and at equal distances from the groove 11. Grooves 11, 12, and 13 Yhave accurately and truly planed sides 14 vand rbottoml.

through .the mandrel aXis. Similar groovesv 1923. Serial No. 637,289.

A rectangular block 16 lits slidably in the 55 grooves 112 12, and 13 and is provided with a longitudinal `slot 17 in its bottom for the purpose of reducing friction during sliding Ymovement thereof and further having a fiat upper face l19. A vertical cylindrical rod 2O G0 has a lower end 21 of reduced diameter which lits snugly in a central hole 22 extending through the block16, and, also, has a shoulder 23, which abuts against the top 19.- The top end 24 is beveled at 25, and a slot groove 26 is milled in the rear of the rod iRod 2O passes through a hole 27 near one end of longitudinal bracket 28, which can be secured at any convenient height by 70 tightening set-screw 29, fitting in tapped hole 30 in bracket 28 and having its point 3l seating in slot 26. The other end of bracket 28 has aA vertical slot 32, within which lits a shoe 33 pivoted at its center 75 on a screw 34 passing through bracket arm 35 and fitting into tapped hole 36 in bracket arm 37. Shoe 33 has a vertical front face 38, whose vertical continuity is interrupted in the middle by a recess 39, and, also, has 80 a rear face for contact with a projection 41 of a micrometer indicator 42 of the watch-case type. Indicator'42 is supported by a vertical bracket 43, secured to the rear of bracket 28 by screws 44 and having a 85 horizontal slot 45, in which fits tongue 46 of clamping plate 47. Bracket 43 is clamped between boss 48 of indicator 42 and. between shoulders 49 of plate 47 on tightening screws 50, which pass through plate 47 99 and fit into tapped holes 51 in indicator 42. Semi-circular recesses 52 in bracket 43,' and a transverse cylindrical hole 53 through' the middle of bracket 28 are provided for purposes of ornamentation and for reduc- 95 ing the weight of the respective parts, as well as for affording convenient means for grasping the same.

. In the use of this tool, the indicator 42 is preferably so adjustedthat vthe pointer 54 100 is on the zero mark of the dial when surface 38 is truly perpendicular to the airis of the mandrel 9. To .facilitate the making of this adjustment, a truly horizontal flat spotv 55 is provided along the top of the 105 mandrel 9 for convenience in contacting with the horizontal edge 56 of a square 57, the vertical edge 58 of which is preferably held case type. ma,T be used;

against trued face 59 of boss Bloc-l 16, with its associated parts, including indicator Ll2 and shoe 33. is now placed in slot ll and advanced toward vertical edge 58 of square 57 until surface 3S is in initiinate contact throughout its entire length with edge 58. Screws are now loosened and indicator Ll2 moved toward or away from tace l0 until the pointer 53 is on the Zero mark, after which screws 50 are again tightened. A connecting-rml 6() to be tested is now lirst secured in a vertical position with its piston 6l on top, by clamping its crankshaft bearing 62 around the mandrel 9, in the event that a minimum size connecting-rod is under test. However, it it be desired to test a connecting-rod having a crank-shaft bearing of larger diameter, it is necessary to interpose a suitable bushing 63 between the mandrel 9 and the crank-shaft bearing 62, a plurality of such bushings ot different thickness being provided to accommodate the tool to various sizes of connecting-rod bearings. Bushing 63 is split along its entire length at 611 to reduce its rigidity and render yieldable to the clamping action ot' the bearing, so that the same ma)v Abe transmitted to the mandrel 9, and is preferabl7 placed with its slit 64s in registration with the meeting surfaces ot the two bearing halves. Block 16, with its associated parts, including indicator 42 and shoe 33, is now placed in slot 1l and advanced toward piston 6l until surface 38 is in intimate contact with piston 6l along its entire length. It the pointer 5st now indicates zero the piston 6l is perpendicular to the bearing 62 in this position, that is, when the axis oi: the piston 6l and the axis of the bearing 62 lie in the same plane. The reading just taken, however, cant not reveal any twist in the connecting-rod, if such there be. because both wrist-pin bearing 65 and crank-shaft bearing 62 lie in parallel horizontal planes in this position. It, however. connectingnod 60 is inclined, and the piston appears vertical when viewed as in Figure 7, and when the block 16 with associated parts and indicator Ll2 is placed in groove l2, as indicated in dotted line, then any twist in the connectingrod with the attendant angularity between wrist-pin and crank-shaft bearings at once becomes apparent, since if this condition prevails the element of piston 6l in contact with .surface 38 will be inclined from the vertical, and the indicator will not read zero. A similar test is, also, made in the opposite direction in groove 13.

It is not to be understood, however, that this device is limited in its use to the particular form of indicator, 42 of the watch- Any suitable type of lindicato; In Figures 2 and 3, an alternate type of indicator is depicted.V In' this construction the alternate 'form of bracket 66 has a slot 6T. which extends nearly to the post 20, and divides the bracket 66 into arms 68 and 69. Arm 68 supports a lever indica tor 70, such as may be bought in the open market. in the slot 67, by means of screws 71 and'72, which tit in tapped holes 73 in indicator trame 74. Screw 7l passes through a hole 75 in arm 68 and screws 72 through a slot T6 in arm 68. Pointer 7T is pivoted at 78 to frame 74 and knob 79 of pointer TT held in engagement with face b v the action ot a spring S0. whose tension can be regulated b v rotating notched disk Sl secured b v screw 82. In adjusting this indicator', screws 7l and 72 are loosened. and the trame il swings on screw 71 as a center, and the screws 7l and 72 again tightened when the lnoperposition has been determined.

Having thus described this invention, I bereb)v reserve the benet of all changes in torni, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing trom the spiritot` this invention or the scope of the following claims.

l claim: n

l. In a tool ot thc character described. the combination oit a supporting block having a pluralitjvv ot' parallel guide grooves. a man drel borne bv the said block, a test tool. and carrying means 'lior the said test tool adapted to be placed in an)v one ot said guide grooves and be moved. parallel to said mandrel.

2. ln a tool ot the character described. the combination of a supporting member, a mandrel borne b v the said member, a block slidabl@ on said member. a testing tool, a holder tor the testing tool, and means borne by the said blocl: and on which tbe said holder is slidable perpcndicularl)Y to the direction iu which said block is adapted to slide on the said supporting member.

il. ln a tool ot the character described. the combination with a supporting member having a plurality oit parallel guide grooves in one Vtace thereof. a crank-supporting mandrel carried b v said member amlextcnding longitudinalliY ot said grooves. test-tool carrying means adapted to beplaced in anxl one ot said guide groovesv for enabling a plurality of tests to be made with the crank inclined in different directions. and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the said guide grooves to be adjusted longitudinally of the VAsaid mandrel, and a test tool carried by the said means.

ln a, tool ot the character described. the combination oi a supporting member having a plurality ot parallellv disposed guide grooves arranged on its top surface. connecting-rod 'supporting means carried by said member and having its axis disposed parallel to said grooves. atest' tool, and'testtool-supporting means carried by said meinany one of said grooves, a bracket adjust ably connected to said block, and a test tool carried by said bracket and subject to vertical and horizontal adjustment through the intermediary of said slidable block and 15 bracket.

En testimony whereof I hereunto alllx my signature.

HUGH MCBAN 

